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Rolls-Royce's all-EV shift begins 2023 with electric Spectre coupe

In 1900, Charles Rolls predicted electric cars would one day become “very useful” — now the luxury automaker is releasing its first battery-powered car

David Booth
Sep 29, 2021  •  October 1, 2021  •  2 minute read  •  Join the conversation
A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept
A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept Photo by Rolls-Royce

Torsten Müller-Ötvös says that Wednesday, September 29, 2021 will be “the most significant day in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since May 4, 1904.” On that date, says the Rolls-Royce CEO, “our founding fathers, Charles Rolls and Sir Henry Royce, first met and agreed that they were going to create ‘the best motor car in the world.’“

I’ll disagree with him on that. Or at least beg to note that Charles Rolls said something even more prescient four years earlier, before Silver Wraiths and Ghosts were even drawings on a drafting table. Having just tested an electric motor car named the Columbia, Rolls said, “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.”

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  1. A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept
    A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept Photo by Rolls-Royce
  2. A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept
    A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept Photo by Rolls-Royce
  3. A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept
    A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept Photo by Rolls-Royce
  4. A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept
    A teaser image of Rolls-Royce's all-electric Spectre concept Photo by Rolls-Royce

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That day sounds to me to be one of the company’s most significant. Because now, 121 years later, Rolls’ words have proven prophetic beyond his wildest dreams. Not only is Müller-Ötvös announcing the birth of the first battery-powered Roller, but also committing to making all Rolls-Royces produced after 2030 electric.

That should not be a total surprise. Rollers are, after all, largely urban vehicles, their owners having alternative means of transport – i.e. the private jet — should they need to get somewhere fast. A private garage is almost a certainty, as are the means to afford any car they want, zero-emissions subsidy or no.

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Subject to over 2.5 million kilometres of the “most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce’s history,” the new all-electric Spectre is built on a scalable aluminum platform. Whether the Spectre will be fully autonomous — as was Rolls’ last BEV concept car, the 103EX — is unknown. But considering how many Spirits of Ecstasy are driven by third parties, it’s probably safe to say that Goodwood has been working overtime on producing legitimate self-driving.

Precise powertrain details — how many electric motors are used, battery capacity, etc. — are still unknown, but it is worth noting this will be the first Roller since 2003 without a V12 under its hood. That said, it’s almost assured that its abilities will far outreach the electrified Phantom the company displayed in 2011, which sported 389 horsepower and 71 kilowatt-hours of lithium-ion.

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